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At Kent, BARZILLAI SLOSSON, Esq. He was a very respectable Counsellor at Law, a very worthy and valuable citizen, and one of the Clerks of the House of Representative, aged 41. Yale, 1791.

At Boston, (Mass.) on the 24th

with the Rev. Nathan Williams, D. D. The exercises of the day were performed by the following gentlemen:Rev. William Andrews, of Windham, made the introductory prayer; Rev. Henry Lord, of Williamsburgh, (Mass.) preached the Sermon from Gal. ii.ult. the Hon. THEODORE SEDG9; Rev. Amos Bassett, of Hebron, made the consecrating prayer; Rev. Nathan Williams, D. D. gave the charge to the pastor; Rev. Diodate Brockway, of Ellington, gave the right hand of fellowship; Rev. Samuel P. Williams, of Mansfield, gave the charge to the people, and Rev. Ephraim T. Woodruff, of Coventry, made the concluding prayer. The day was remarkably fine, and the exercises were highly gratifying to a very numerous, respectable, and attentive audience.

OBITUARY.

DIED at Bozrah, the Rev. JONATHAN MURDOCK, aged 70; pastor of the Church in that town. Yale, 1766.

1813.

Jan. 20.

WICK, L L. D. aged 67. He was formerly a Representative in Congress, and a member of the Senate from Massachusetts. He was one of the Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and had arrived in Boston from his seat in Stockbridge, about three weeks before his death, for the purpose of holding a Court in Suffolk County. Yale, 1765.

At Tyngsborough, (Mass.) on the 9th ult. the Rev. MATTHEW SCRIBNER, aged 66, late pastor of the Church in Westford. Yale, 1775.

In Roxbury, (Mass.) Hon. JOHN REED, aged 83.

Drowned at Cincinnati, (Ohio,) in attempting to ford a river on horseback, the Rev. JOHN W BROWN, aged 59.

In Georgia, GEORGE PALMER, a freed negro, aged 121.

1840

Donations to the Missionary Society of Connecticut.

Received from Rev. Joshua Beer, collected in new set-
tlements,

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From Rev. Abraham Scott, as a Donation,

From Rev. Abraham Scott, collected in new settlements,
From Rev. Giles H. Cowles, do.

do.

27. From Hebron Female Association for the support of

Missions,

$ 2.00

11 53

4. 00

4 00

8 97

$30 50

1040

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Donations to the AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS, received by Henry Hudson, their Agent at Hartford. Female Mite Socety, Franklin Delaware County, New York,

A friend to the cause,

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Miss Etty Hosford,

do.

50

Female Foreign Mission Society, Wethersfield,

85 35

Cent Society,

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Female Foreign Mission Society, Franklin, Con.

36 00

Rev. Benoni Upson, Berlin,

10 00

$237 40

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An Historical View of the First
Planters of New England.

No. XVIII.

(Continued from p. 51.)

to form a christian Community. In the formation and governnent of their churches, the word of God was their only rule. And without regarding human precedents, or any practices to which they had been accustomed, they regu

UR last Number commen-lated their churches, so far as

0 Iced a series of Remarks,

which are believed to be necessary for the proper illustration and conclusion of this subject. We now proceed to observe

they understood the sacred oracles, by that divine standard.Still, they recognized the principles of civil government, as the only proper basis of human society, and held sacred the long-established maxims of civil liberty and law. To these principles, they consigned all their political regulations, keeping ever in view those precepts of civil policy which are found in the word of God. The principle of a com

4. The religious character of the New England Fathers deserves, in this place, a particular consideration. Their religious sentiments and practice make a very essential part of their character-they constitute a subject on which much has been said, and much without due examina-munity of property, which pretion. Nothing will now be of vailed for a season in the Chrisfered except what is derived from tain church, in the early period unquestionable authority. It has of the apostolic.age, was never already been shown that the en- acknowledged by the colonists of joyment of gospel privileges, and New England. The small comthe advancement of the interests pany which commenced the setof the Redeemer, was the prima- tlement of Plymouth,at first, had ry object of the settlement of N. the greater part of their property England. Their great design in a public stock. But as soon was, as we have often observed, as they considered themselves VOL. VI. No. 3. L

settled, they proceeded to a di- | pel, was considered an indispenvision, according to their respec-sable qualification. If the cirtive claims.

cumstances of the candidates rendered it suitable, they chose to have a relation of their religious exercises and views, in presence of the church; if otherwise, an examination by the officers of the church was deemed sufficient.The respective churches were generally united in a very solemn covenant, in which the members dedicated themselves to God, to one another, and to the service of the gospel of Christ. It was a frequent practice with the churches to renew their covenant; on which occasions, all the members renewed their en

the same manner as when first admitted to the number of his visible people. In the year 1676, all the churches in the Plymouth colony, at the desire of the General Court, with great solemnity, on a day of public humiliation,renewed their covenant with God and with one another. The same was done repeatedly, by most of the churches in the different colonies.

The order of church government,in which the New England churches were founded, was congregational. They believed that a single church, composed of a number of individuals, united to gether by covenant engagements to observe the precepts and ordinances of Christ, had received from him all due authority for the enjoyment of his ordinances, and for the government of his house. They held that the administration of discipline ought to be exercised immediately by the officers of the church, but by the authority of the church resi-gagements to be the Lord's, in ding in the members. They considered it very desirable that a church should enjoy two ministers, a pastor and a teacher. The former to labor with his people in admonition, exhortation, and counsel; the latter to explain, vindicate, and enforce the doctrines of divine truth. A ruling elder was held by them to be a proper church officer, who was to assist the minister or ministers in the duties of discipline--to tion, in several instances, was attake a lead in the church on the tended with the signal approbavarious occasions which called tion of Heaven, in public blesfor their particular deliberations, sings, and in the special maniand, in the want of a minister, to festations of divine grace. perform the duties of divine ser- general Synod held at Boston in vice. In some instances, the ru- 1679, in answer to the question, ling elder was a preacher. Such "What is to be done that the was Mr. Brewster, the venerable evils which have provoked the elder of the church of Plymouth, divine judgments upon the colowho, with great faithfulness and nies may be reformed?" a geneability, performed the duties of a ral renewal of covenant by the pastor in that church, for many churches was particularly recomyears. With regard to the com- mended. These were occasions inunion of the churches, person of the most imposing solemnity, al religion, consisting in a degree and tended, not less, to impress of conformity of heart and cha- every beholder with the high reFacter to the precepts of the gos-sponsibility of the Christian stan

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were destitute of the stated gospel ministrations, especially if long destitute and disappointed in their prospects, felt it peculiarly incumbent on them to fast and pray. Churches frequently observed a fast preparatory to the Lord's Supper. IndividualChristians, so far as we know the best part of their lives, were much in the duty of fasting. Some would observe a fast with their families. But the more common practice was to perform this scrvice in secret. Some of the more

served private fasts periodically, some, monthly, and others, still more frequently; and on these occasions, they endeavored to lay

for the day. To what degree of abstinence they usually proceeded in their fasts, I have not been able, precisely, to learn; but this was considered an essential part of the service.

Fasting was a practice, for which the fathers of New England were much distinguished. Of this, there were three different kinds. Public fasts, appointed by the civil authority, and obser ed by all the congregations in a colony; particular fasts, in which an individual congregation or church united in the service; and private fasts of individual Christians. Their pub-eminently pious characters oblic fasts were observed annually, according to our present practice, and on all occasions of the special frowns of divine Providence. They knew that all the judg-aside their ordinary employments ments of a righteous heaven are in consequence of sin and in the day of divine displeasure, they sought to humble themselves before God, to confess public and individual transgress ions, to implore his pardoning mercy, and a gracious return of his benignant smiles. In times of approaching and existing war. of prevailing pestilence, of a general scarcity of bread, of unfavorable seasons, of drought, of public divisions and contentions, of the active efforts of enemies, whereby the general welfare was endangered-they proclaimed a fast, wept and kneeled before God. Individual churches and societies, in cases of local calamities, of losses, afflictions, and dangers, would unitedly humble themselves before the Most High, with prayer and fasting. When any particular divisions existed in a church or society,they would usually agree together to ask counsel and help from on high. Churches and congregations that

The Planters of New-England were very attentive to a sacred observance of the Sabbath. The morality and perpetual obligation of the Sabbath became one of the principal subjects of difference between the puritans and their opposers in England, previous to the emigrations to America.This subject was carried to such an extent. that a solemn observance of the Lord's day became a distinctive characteristic of a puritan. They considered that all who loved Christ must love his holy day, and that a faithful observance of his Sabbath, is indispensably necessary to the maintenance of the life of religion in the hearts of his people. They well knew also, that the religion and morals of any community will generally be graduated by

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that period. Of this practice, Mr. Cotton published an able vindication.

Catechetical instruction was considered by our ancestors to be of primary importance. This mode of instruction was much practised, in various ways. In family visits, the ministers would frequently catechize the whole family, proposing questions to the several members, according to their respective capacity. This mode of instruction was adopted sometimes with the churches ; in which case, meetings of the members were held for that purpose. The catechizing of chil

the observance of the Sabbath. They felt therefore that it was of the first importance to use every exertion to maintain the sacred observation of the day, as eminently, the day of the Lord. This duty was enforced with great energy by the example of the most conspicuous characters; it was earnestly inculcated from the word of God in public and private instruction; it was firmly enforced by public law. When the detached company from the first ship, sent to look a place for their settlement, entered the harbour of Plymouth, they were unable to accomplish their object previous to the Sabbath.dren and youth was considered On the arrival of that day, they suspended their operations, landed upon a small island, and solemnized the Lord's day. In the expedition of the Connecticut troops against the Pequod Indians, the little army having arrived in the Narraganset country on Saturday, rested till the following Monday to devote the Sabbath to Him who claims it as his own. As that was a case in which despatch was of the utmost importance, human wisdom would censure this measure; yet no expedition was ever more successful. The manner in which these pious fathers generally spent the Sabbath was in public worship, in family instructions and prayer, in search-added, religious family visits ing the scriptures, and in secret retirement, The instruction of their families in divine things was considered a very special part of the duties of the Lord's day. They began the Sabbath on Saturday evening; well know-ded by the elder or a deacon of ing that all the authority that we the church. Where there were have respecting the time of its two ministers, visiting was a macommencement, directs us to terial part of the duty of the

an object of the first importance. This was attended in families, in schools, and in public, at times particularly appointed for the purpose. In some places a part of the intermission of public worship on the Sabbath was employed in catechizing the children. This was done by the pastor, or by the ruling elder or deacons of the church. The Assembly of Divines' Cate chism, published in 1645, did not come into general use till near the close of that century. Previous to this, the catechism most in use was one composed by the eminent Mr. William Perkins.-In connection with this part of the subject, it may be

were considered an essential part of public instruction. These were much attended to by the ministers, and were found to be highly beneficial. It was com mon for the minister to be atten

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